Boyle power helps Everest charity trek!

Reporter:

Michelle Nic Phaidin

24 Jan 2012

0

Members of one family have scaled new peaks for the sake of charity and raised over five thousand euro for the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland. The family spanning from Cavan, Meath, Mayo and Donegal succeeded in raising €5,465 for the charity by getting involved with the Ireland to Everest 32 Step Challenge an expedition which involved climbing the highest point in each of the 32 counties of Ireland in 2011.

Members of one family have scaled new peaks for the sake of charity and raised over five thousand euro for the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland. The family spanning from Cavan, Meath, Mayo and Donegal succeeded in raising €5,465 for the charity by getting involved with the Ireland to Everest 32 Step Challenge an expedition which involved climbing the highest point in each of the 32 counties of Ireland in 2011.

Ten year old Eva Boyle along with her parents, Shaun and Tina joined the Ireland to Everest team after hearing numerous radio advertisements

about the event. It was not their intention to consider completing all of the peaks but after meeting many wonderful people, talking to families that have been affected by Cystic Fibrosis and genuinely feeling that this is something that they could commit to and fundraise for, Team Eva was established. It was also an ideal opportunity to see Ireland and to safely hill walk under the guidance of the Ireland to Everest Team Cian

Ó’Brolchain, Donal Ó’Brolchain and Robbie Kelly.

Team Eva made a general call to family and friends to join them on the walk. It was then extended to include 62 year old granny Madge Boyle from Mayo, aunt Lorraine Boyle from Meath and cousins Catriona Boyle, Bernadine Boyle and Donna McTaggart from Donegal and the adventure began.

Catriona Boyle said: “I would highly recommend it. We had no experience in hill walking and knew very little about Cystic Fibrosis before we undertook the challenge. It was absolutely great and it was a great way to see the country and you get to see it from a different perspective too,” she said.

The Portnoo woman said that the entire challenge was an experience that she would highly recommend to anyone. “It was a great thing to get involved in. Eva’s mum, Tina, heard it advertised and she thought that it would be an interesting thing to do for the year and she sent out an e-mail. When we got the e-mail we though “yeah” and then once you get started you find it very difficult not to do them all. You wanted to continue it once you had started it,” she said.

Fund raising was another key element to the 2011 commitment. Each member of the team enlisted different methods. Catriona and Bernadine organised two table quizzes in Narin and Letterkenny and were delighted with the support and turnout. Sponsorship from friends and family all across the country was the principal source of fundraising for Madge, Lorraine, Shaun, Tina and Eva.

Commenting on the challenge Lorraine Boyle said: “We would like to acknowledge the great support received over the course of the challenge and would like to thank everyone who donated so generously. We had a wonderful time taking part in the climbs it proved to be a fantastic way of catching up with family each week.”

Philip Watt, CEO and Martin Cahill, Fundraising Manager of Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland commended the Boyle family all for their

persistence and dedication throughout the year and to all of those who took part in this challenge to raise much-needed funds for Lung

Transplantation in Ireland.

The 32 Steps for Cystic Fibrosis, The Ireland to Everest Challenge is the brainchild of Dublin man Cian Ó’Brolchain, whom, in 2011, undertook a

challenge to climb the highest peak in each county of Ireland before embarking on an international expedition to climb the world’s highest

peaks. The next leg of this challenge will see Cian and the Ireland to Everest team tackle Kilimanjaro at the end of this month, which will be quickly followed by an attempt to climb Mount Everest in Nepal, the worlds highest mountain in March 2012. For more details on the Ireland to Everest journey or to make a donation please visitwww.irelandtoeverest.com

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